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The Dalton Bargo Era Begins At NC State

NC State's baseball program knows just how impactful Dalton Bargo's transfer is going to be.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Tennessee's Dalton Bargo (16) at bat during an NCAA college baseball game against St. Bonaventure on Sunday, March 9, 2025, in Knoxville, Tenn.
Tennessee's Dalton Bargo (16) at bat during an NCAA college baseball game against St. Bonaventure on Sunday, March 9, 2025, in Knoxville, Tenn. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After beginning his career in the SEC, Dalton Bargo is set to take on the ACC with NC State. A pair of seasons in Tennessee weren't enough for Bargo, who will now be playing for his third school.

The Wolfpack have plenty of baseball success, but that should only continue to rise with the addition of Bargo. His decision to come to NC State was a rather simple one, but it could be the definitive move in his career.

Dalton Bargo's NC State Debut

While it was only for a fall exhibition game against Wake Forest, Bargo wasted no time making his presence felt. The Wolfpack were victorious, 11-5, with their star transfer contributing to what would be his first unofficial home run with the team.

"It felt really good,” Bargo told On3's Noah Fleischman. “I just really wanted to go out there and just play the game the right way and play hard. … I happened to put a really good swing on it and it felt really good to get the first one out of the way with the Pack.”

Somehow, Bargo went from one Hall of Fame coach to another. Tennessee's manager, Tony Vitello, was just hired by the San Francisco Giants. It's not unheard of for a college manager to get the call to the majors, but it seems to be few and far between in this modern era.

Now, he's set to be managed by Elliott Avent, who's in his 30th year with the team. Avent called the addition a "no-brainer" as Bargo's exhibition showcase proved just how much of a benefit his power is going to be to the team.

"He’s everything that we want makeup wise and as a player,” Avent said, “so that was a no-brainer.”

Bargo's Decision To Transfer

When it comes to Bargo's relationship with Avent, it's one of the strongest he's ever experienced. "He was really adamant about calling and checking in on them and seeing where our heads were at."

Bargo continued, "He was just making sure the family was doing good. I really liked that about him in the recruiting process.”

Even though Bargo didn't declare for the draft after his second season with the Volunteers, he knows that's the goal for 2026. One of the main things Fleischman mentioned was his 27.1% strikeout rate, a key number that Avent and associate head coaches Bo Robinson and Chris Hart will work with.

NC State begins their 2026 season in Puerto Rico from February 13-15. Their home opener is on February 18th as they'll host 18 straight home games across February and March.

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.